It is known to drive boats using an electric motor. Furthermore, it is known to control the speed level of the electric motor by means of a device for predetermining the speed level, wherein the predetermination of the speed level takes place for example by the predetermination of the power or the rotational speed of the electric motor. For predetermination of the speed level by the operator, for example by the helmsman, in principle two different possibilities are known:
In a boat drive constructed as an outboard motor with an electric motor it is known to predetermine the driving stage of the electric motor by means of a rotary grip provided at the end of a tiller mounted directly on the outboard motor. The operator of the outboard motor can then not only predetermine the travel direction but can also control the driving stage of the motor in a known manner by means of the tiller.
Furthermore, it is known to provide a remote throttle device, in which a control lever is provided, which is spaced apart from boat drive to be controlled and by means of which the driving stage of the electric motor can then be controlled. The remote throttle is usually arranged on a control panel of the boat, so that it can be operated simply by a driver, whilst the driver also operates the steering wheel. A remote throttle device is used in particular when the motor is installed inaccessibly in the boat—for example when it is provided as a built-in motor with a shaft drive, as a built-in motor with a Z drive, as a sail drive or as a pod drive. However, a remote throttle device can also be used for controlling an outboard motor.
In sailing boats, such a remote throttle device is usually arranged either on a steering column of the steering wheel or on a wall—typically a side wall or a base region of the cockpit. An arrangement of the remote throttle device in the cockpit is also to be found in particular when the sailing boat has tiller steering and accordingly no steering column is provided.
For control of a boat drive it is also possible to provide a plurality of remote throttle devices which are arranged in different positions on the boat—for example on two different control panels.
In this case remote gas devices are known for predetermining the driving stage of an electric motor of a boat, and have a base plate which can be connected to a side wall of the boat on which a control lever is provided which is pivotable about a pivot axis with respect to the base plate. During the pivoting movement about the pivot axis the control lever acts on a speed controller—for example in the form of a sensor—by means of which the power electronics unit of the electric motor can be controlled in order in this way to implement the driving stage required by the operator.
In order to be able to predetermine the driving stage of the electric motor and thus to control the movement of the boat, the control lever can be operated by the respective operator. As a rule, the control lever has a shaft part and a gripping part which is spaced apart from the axis of rotation and by which the operator usually grips the control lever by his hand. In this case the gripping part is at a sufficiently large distance from the side wall to enable the operator to completely enclose the gripping part with his hand so that a secure and firm grip is possible.
Due to the known geometric construction of the control lever it can happen that rigging and, in particular, sheets, mooring ropes, lashings or other ropes which are necessary for operating the boat, or also fishing lines, become entangled and/or that people moving about on the boat become caught on the control lever by items of clothing and/or limbs. Furthermore, even if the known control levers are arranged in a region close to the floor or near the knees the danger of injury for the people moving about on the boat increases.